No Mercy
by Vyckos
Summary: After Cinder's terrible failure to procure the relic from Haven, Salem decides that there can be no room for further failure and consequently, no room for mercy. (*Image is not my own and I do not claim ownership of it.*)
1. Prologue

The scent of blood catches on the wind, the same such wind that carries the cries, moans, and silent screams away from the palace hewn from rough rock, perched on the pinnacle of the most intrepid mountain in Remnant. This fortress is unnamed, and will be referred to as Nowhere. And it is a place that contains pure malice within its ragged walls and echoing hallways. Hallways that seem to manipulate sounds in a ethereal way.

Salem sits in her throne of obsidian, the candles blazing unnaturally behind her. Her pallid complexion adds to the contrast that is shown through the deep crimson veins which trace snakes across her visible flesh. Her eyes are haunting, a ghastly reflection of our own, bright eyes. Her eyes are voids, consuming everything in its path, sending chills throughout the hall. The black stone set into her forehead glitters in the dim candlelight. Her spectral hair highlights the dissimilitude between her eyes and the rest of this creature's physical appearance.

Despite her inhuman looks, she manages to look almost regal in her seat, as if she is entitled to rule a kingdom. Unfortunately, the kingdom she aspired to rule is the entirety of Remnant. As she sits before her ever diminishing congregation, a movement catches her eye. A seer drifted into the passageway, cracking and popping as it went. It's unnerving sounds heightened the tension in the room. Salem's cool gaze washed over her faction; it was no longer a force that could strike fear into the hearts of citizens and Huntsmen alike. A crippled soldier, missing a tail; a doctor, condemned for crimes against humanity; a fallen maiden lost to the shrine of Haven; and a soft-hearted killer, one who only pulls out his ruthless side for a very specific target. There are absences of other subjects: Mercury (the boy with the curious discolouration to his hair), Emerald (an invaluable figure in terms of psychological warfare) and Hazel.

Exhaling slowly, Salem stood. Making sure to keep her composure, she allowed herself a few more breaths, both to heighten tension and fear—which she could already sense were paramount within these walls—and to allow her to prepare her scathing words.

"Gentlemen, according to our agents, Cinder has failed to claim the relic. Not only this, but she lost her life to Raven in the process." As she spoke she allowed her gaze to drift around the room, taking note of the copious spaces left absent.

"It seems that we...miscalculated the risk that we would be betrayed or lied to during this endeavour."

As her eyes did another lap of the table, the discomfort was clear in the body language of the remaining two.

"We have also lost any alliance with the White Fang, and have no way of communicating with Adam."

Suddenly, she slammed her palms flat on the table, the sharp sound piercing a hole through the palace. An inhuman laugh began to emanate from her mouth, and her body began to shake.

"So? How do we proceed in the light of this most recent failure, gentlemen?"

After a pause with no reply, she looked up, grinning.

"We no longer restrain ourselves."


	2. Chapter 1

As Qrow settled back into his chair in front of the wide TV, his mind was in the midst of the battle of a few hours prior. He settled himself further into the chair, trying to relax his aching muscles, his head throbbing. Running a hand over his face he contemplated asking Ruby to get him some booze. God, he needed it. After the stress of almost losing Winters insufferable—yet skilled—sister, along with the newly resurrected Ozpin he really needed some alcohol to clear away the trepidation of the past few hours, replacing them with blissful static. Sweet nothingness that allowed him to forget the past. He let out a slow groan under his breath, and let his head drop softly onto the back of the chair. He closed his eyes before opening them abruptly. Scenes from his past and some that he feared fell in the future flashed before his eyelids.

"Yo, Oz- I mean Oscar. I'm going to take a walk, ok? I... I need the fresh air."

The kid put his thumbs up before returning to what Qrow could only imagine was an internal conversation between the two souls. ' _It must be tough to share a body...'_ Qrow thought as he slipped onto the deserted street. _'Those dumb kids better not make any more trouble for me by the time I get back...'_

* * *

Jaune ran a hand through his hair. His fingers once again found the spot that made his heart ache from regret. He shook himself, not allowing his mind to get caught up in the moment. He needed to move forward, forgiving but never forgetting. Turning back to the room he found himself stood before a group of attentive eyes.

"Uh, guys? Why are you looking at me like that..."

Ruby stood, her petite frame still several inches below Jaune's chin. For someone so small, she really was a formidable fighter. "Jaune Arc. Today is the day that you have officially discovered your semblance."

A cheer rose from the Huntsmen behind her. Jaune blinked in surprise. Why were they so excited? They all knew their own powers—except Oscar who was missing from the group as usual. Despite how often they told him to join them, he always considered himself an outsider. _'I know how that feels.'_ His whisper was quiet, even within his own mind. Jaune wasn't as strong as the others. Not as Talented, quick, powerful.

 _'Not as good.'_

"Why are you so excited? You all have your abilities already, I'm not that special..."

"Shut up, you're just a late bloomer!" Yang's voice was so spirited, cutting through the small room with ease. She always held herself with such confidence. Even the tilt of her body as she slouched back, her arms out behind her, supporting her weight practically dripped with the aura of a cocky attitude. At least it was a well-deserved attitude...

"We all had our parties or celebrations when we found our powers, so why should you be any different?"

Blakes calm voice was such a dramatic contrast to Yang. Every word that passed through Blakes' lips seemingly carries the weight of the world. She put careful emphasis on every syllable, a natural public speaker. As shy as she could be, she really was built for speaking to groups of people. _'She would make a great politician...'_ But it was clear, even to Jaune, that something was bothering her. She was being talked to by both Yang and Sun, who both seemed adamant to find out what was wrong. She looked exhausted as if someone had pulled her energy out of her, using her as a human—well, faunus—battery.

"Well, why should I be rewarded just for finally getting my semblance? It's nothing new, I'm just useless at everything."

Weiss scoffed. "Ah yes, such a failure. Not like you saved my life or anything. No significance whatsoever. You can't keep putting yourself down. You're still new to this, don't forget that we've all been fighting since we could stand, and most of us have it in our blood. It's almost as if some of us have parents that force us to fight." A shadow passed over her face and she receded back into her subdued state of mild panic. Whilst Jaune helped her physically, there was no telling what had been done to her mental state.

Jaune ran his fingers through his hair again, letting it trickle through like water. He glanced around at the group again. There were many more of them. Of us. He smiled shyly.

"If we don't make too much mess, I guess it couldn't hurt?"

A second cheer rose from the group. He could see the weariness behind their eyes. They needed something uplifting, something to distract them all from the horrifying spectre conjured in the hall earlier. They had finally seen their foe. And she was grimmer than any of them had anticipated.

* * *

As Sun raided the fridge for party supplies, he recalled the look that had been etched in each of their faces after leaving the school. They all seemed to be...broken to some capacity. Even Qrow seemed shaken, as experienced as he was. The shellshock hidden behind their eyes had gradually faded, but it was still there. It still loomed over their mood threatening to come back at any moment.

He finished going through the meagre supplies in the fridge—all essentials, nothing interesting—and started on the cabinets. He was determined to make this a sufficient distraction from whatever they had experienced inside that wretched school. With ample snacks in his arms and a few bowls wrapped in his tail, he turned toward the table in the centre of the room.

How had he not noticed the TV turn on? How had he not heard the horrified gasps from behind him? How had he not noticed that Blake had sat down, hard, and was being consoled by Ilia? How had he not noticed the flashing red TV screen, that blared before him, reflected from every window and glass pane on this floor?

The bowls hit the floor with a dull thud; he had barely noticed his tail drooping. The snacks tumbled out of his arms and he stumbled forwards. He collapsed next to Blake and pulled her into his chest. Her tears ran down the bare skin of his chest. He looked around, desperate for a blanket. Yang crouched beside them, pulling off her jacket and handing it to Blake. She pulled it around herself gratefully, breathing in the scent of Yang's warm body. She pressed herself further into Sun's chest, and he felt her sobs, cushioned slightly by the material of the jacket. He pulled her close, wrapping his body around her –shielding her.

In bold letters emblazoned across the screen were the following words: 'Previous High leader of the white fang and current chieftain of Menagerie, Ghira Belladonna, has just been admitted into emergency care at Haven's emergency hospital, and is currently awaiting treatment.' A faint drone of a woman's voice droned in the background. Sun could only catch a few words as he held Blake close to his body. Random words jumped out: "red-headed attacker", "wearing the trademarked mask of a White Fang member", horned and incredibly dangerous".

Bleary eyes overflowing with tears, Sun ran his hand through Blakes' hair. They all pretended not to hear her ghastly sobs which could no longer be hidden by Yang's jacket. Yang placed her hand on Blakes back, rubbing slow circles around and around and around.

What was meant to be a celebration turned into something much, much darker.

* * *

 **The news blared on the screen, and I sat back in my chair. I gestured towards the figure by my chair to turn off the pointless background noise. I have real work to get to, and I couldn't allow any distractions.**

* * *

 ** _Thank you also much for reading! If you enjoyed, please like, and follow this story, I'm a $lut for that ;)_**

 ** _I will be updating randomly for a few weeks, so expect an irregular update schedule until further notice. And hey, thanks!_**


	3. Chapter 2

As Qrow settled himself into his seat at the local pub, he ran a hand through his hair. No matter where he went, he always seemed to wind up back here, ordering yet another drink to help forget yet another disaster. He raised a lazy hand, signaling that he wished to order a drink. In the brief time, it took for him to order and receive said drink his body was already shaking. Throwing his head back and allowing the potent liquid to trickle down his throat, he thought back on the events that had led to him becoming an alcoholic. It had certainly been a long road, but a vivid one nonetheless. A road that had misery and loss etched deep into its blood-soaked trail. Throwing the dregs of his first drink down the back of his throat, his mind wandered back to the first major death in his life; that of one of his classmates. It hadn't been anyone's fault, not anyone in particular, but he always blamed himself for it, no matter how many years passed by, or how many people he saved. She was the one he couldn't save. The first of many.

 _'No one ever remembers who they save, only who they kill. Directly or indirectly, they're all the same. Spots of red that can never be washed out. They fade, but they will always linger on the edges of our conscience, ghosts of the times that we couldn't quite save them when we weren't quite good enough.'_

Qrow chuckled darkly into his cup. It was too early for these kinds of thoughts _. 'I wish I could have saved those kids from the death of that Pyrrha girl. And that robot…Penny? God, I_ _can't even remember her name…'_

Through the cloud that hung around Qrow's hazy consciousness the words pierced the veil, words that cause him to snap his head up and hastily vacate his seat. Slamming money down on the bar he turned and ran out into the night.

On the pubs lone TV screen blared the recent updates on the stability of Ghira Belladonna.

* * *

Oscar stood staring at the TV in shock. The whole group had been staring at the screen, transfixed, for the past half hour. Ozpin had tried to make conversation and attempt to console Blake but Oscar couldn't hear him through the static in his head. _'It's not the first time they've had to be in a situation like this,' Ozpins voice rose from the white noise. 'nor will it be the last. This is the past they've chosen, and this road will have many sorrows ahead._

 _'I wish that I could tell you that everyone could be safe, but that's not true. I feel that it would be unfair to lie to you. Especially since you have all seen the true face of our enemy. I cannot allow any of you to become complacent.'_

The haunting image of Salem rose in Oscar's mind. He shivered, thinking about how he would one day have to face her in real life. And fight against her _. 'How powerful is she, Ozpin?'_

 _'She is a more formidable enemy than you could possibly imagine. She is like nothing you know and is unparalleled in combat. Except by me, however, I am not in my original body. This cripples me considerably.'_

 _'Is my body not good enough for you?'_

 _'Not yet, my child. Not yet.'_

The sound of the door being thrown open caught the rooms collective attention. Qrow was standing in the darkness of the night, a panicked look in his eyes. He surged forwards, wrapping both Blake and Sun in his arms. As Sun wriggled free, Oscar caught a glimpse of Blake nestled against the uncle's chest, and his hand was running through her hair. He comforted her, gentle words, and even gentler touches.

 _'He has strong paternal instincts. He's essentially been Ruby's second father for most of her life. I think he sees himself in these kids. Broken and mourning, but still strong enough to rise above it all and fight for a better world.'_

Oscar nodded mutely. The look on his face, it was as of his own child was in danger. _'He really cares for us…'_

 _'Of course he does.'_ Oscar couldn't see Ozpins face, but he sensed him smiling warmly. _'He would do anything for you. Which in itself is both a blessing and a curse.'_

* * *

Blake sniffed and huddled closer to Sun. Or was this Qrow? She caught a hint of whiskey, but it was nowhere near as potent as it would have usually been. The past…hour? Half hour? It felt like years. It had been a blur of tears, hugs, and being gently fed small snacks from Sun's raid of the kitchen. The police, hospital, and both of her parent's phones had been called. The police were busy dealing with the fallout of the attack on Haven and rounding up the stray members of the White Fang. The hospital unavailable due to many injuries caused by both the attack on the academy, and a Grimm attack on the outskirts of town which were no doubt induced by an increase in negativity energy.

She could feel everyone's sympathy pressing in on her, but it felt forced. Despite the fact that these were her best friends, a new wall between them had formed, making it hard to breathe. As if he could feel the tightness in her chest, Qrow began to rub her back in circles.

"Don't hold it in. Let it all out now. Accept that it hurts, it'll feel better later."

She let out a loud sob, then recoiled, embarrassed. If she hadn't let them go…If she'd stayed with them…

"You're overwhelmed. Your father is in hospital, in safe hands. I know you're blaming yourself now, and you might not come to terms with it. But he is in care. I hate to say it, but there's nothing you can do. Let the emotions flow over you and move on. You've done all that you can from where you are right now."

She nodded and pulled back slowly. She stood, shakily, and pulled her body closer together. "Can I go to a bedroom? I need rest…"

Qrow nodded. "Blake, who do you want to stay with you?"

"…n-no one actually…" Her voice was scratchy and raw from crying.

He sighed. "I can't let you do that. It's healthier for you to be with someone, especially after the day you've had."

"…I've not seen my team in a while. I'd like to catch up with them."

He nodded. "Don't catch up for too long, you need rest." He turned to all of them, "you all need rest. I think you should all head to bed. We have a lot of preparation to do, especially training. You're going to need all the rest you can get."

* * *

 **I walked back into the dorm, drenched in sweat. The other two were sat where they always were, on the sofa, facing the TV. I barely glanced at it before switching it off.**

 **"What the hell man? I was watching that!"**

 **I shook my head. "I can't believe you're just sat here on your asses. You heard about what happened at Haven, how can you live with yourselves by just sitting here doing nothing."**

 **"We're guarding the academy! It's our duty as students!"**

 **I scoffed. "Your duty my ass, you just can't be bothered to go help the people fighting on the front lines. You're cowards, both of you! I'm leaving in a week, whether you're with me, or not."**

 **I stood and stormed my way into the bathroom. I desperately needed a shower. These tough training sessions were good for something at least. Keeping the whole school on high alert had been tough, but at least I was battle ready. And prepared for my mission. My mission which included much self-inflicted torture. I shivered before stepping into the sheet of cascading water. "I can't wait…"**

 **The sarcasm was lost in the sound of falling water.**

* * *

 _If you guys want longer chapters then I can do that, but please comment to let me know. If you could also tell me what day you want me to update, then I will take that into consideration._

 _Thank you also much for reading! If you enjoyed, please like, and follow this story, I'm a $lut for that ;)_

 _I will be updating randomly for a few weeks, so expect an irregular update schedule until further notice. And hey, thanks!_


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